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Deadly Stakes

Police academy-trained former reporter Ali Reynolds is contacted to investigate the grisly murder of a gold-digging divorcee on behalf of a woman accused of the crime. Lynn Martinson is dating the dead woman's ex-husband, and she and her boyfriend Chip Ralston have been charged. Ali is simultaneously drawn to the case of A.J. Sanders, a frightened teen with secrets of his own. He's the first to find the body in the Camp Verde desert when he goes to retrieve a mysterious buried box hidden by his absent father, a box that turns out to be filled with hundreds of thousands of dollars in poker chips. When the body of an ex-con is discovered near the first crime scene, Ali struggles to determine if A.J. and Lynn's cases are related.

Ali grows and changes in this series, which like all of Jance's series, can be read on their own but are much more enjoyable read in order. Many of the other regulars are back too. Several subplots in this one require careful attention, but the reader always knows that, in Jance's trademark way, they'll come together in the end. And they do, in a most satisfying way. Ali's personal life has a satisfying conclusion here, too, one that leads into the next book.

A pretty good installment in the series. I listened to it rather than reading. It was slow at times but had some action at the end. Ali and B flit around trying to nail a killer while staying in high buck hotels, driving expensive cars and using the occasional helicopter when needed. Ali's a bit at loose ends. She's not a reporter, not a cop, I'm interested to see whether she decides to become a PI or what. Regardless, she did make one big life decision at the end of this book.

LaughingOne
Apr 12, 2013

J.A. Jance is one of my favourie mystery authors. She has three series going; the books within each series build upon the ones before, so it is important to read them in order if you want to read the stories as they grow over time. This series with Ali Reynolds is set in Arizona and has a protagonist I admire. This is a fast read but, as always, satisfying. Enjoy!